There are many different medications on the market for managing overactive bladder in men, however, none are without side effects. I recently talked with a gentleman in a senior housing center who said he was constipated and had made several trips to the ER for impaction removal. When I asked if he knew why this was happening he said it was his bladder medication. What a miserable way to live! That said, it would be difficult to live with incontinence every day as well.

A recent study published in the JAMA Network found that combining behavioral therapy with medications was more effective than medications alone. Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor and result in less bladder incontinence. Although it may be difficult to explain how to perform these exercises to some of your residents it may still be worth investigating and identify a few residents who may benefit. Imagine the improvement in the quality of life if we helped just one resident decrease medications while decreasing their incontinence related to overactive bladder!